Politics & Government

Crews Begin Work on Steel Sea Wall Project in Mantoloking

Project kicks off in Mantoloking, will move to Brick next month

The first piece of sheet pile was driven 30 feet deep into the sand on the Mantoloking beachfront Thursday, the first bit of what will eventually be four miles of protection against ocean breaches in future coastal storms.

After about two weeks of staging, the construction effort began in earnest Thursday at Herbert Street in Mantoloking, near the foot of the Mantoloking Bridge, and will continue throughout Mantoloking and coastal Brick Township throughout the summer.

Brick Township's portion of the work is estimated to begin Aug. 20, officials have said. The township's parking lot at Bayview Park as well as half of the Brick Beach III parking lots are already being used as staging areas.

“This project will help protect a segment of coastline that was breached during Superstorm Sandy, especially offering protection to Route 35 and residents and businesses that were battered by Sandy,” said state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin. “Coupled with the forthcoming coastal protection project by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this particularly vulnerable section of the Jersey Shore will be more resilient for future severe weather events.”

The sheet pile will be driven 30 feet into the ground and extend 15 feet above ground, though the above-ground portion will be covered by dunes in a federal upcoming dune and beach replenishment project set to begin this fall. That project will see the creation of about 22 foot-high dunes and 200 foot-long beaches. The projected October start date of the beach replenishment project made it necessary to complete work on the steel wall, known as a revetment, over the summer.

“It is important to get this project started now and completed as quickly as possible,’’ said Martin.

This project is essential to the protection of our community during future severe weather events,” said Brick Mayor John Ducey, in a statement. “While we understand that some residents may have concerns about the project’s impact during the summer, any short-term inconveniences will be outweighed by the long-term benefits and protections the project will provide.”

From Thursday’s starting point, crews will work daily to move the project both north and south, with anticipated installation of about 150 feet of steel per day. Homeowners and businesses in the vicinity of the work will receive prior notification of when crews will be working on or near their property. Work hours will stretch from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Work zones will be created to ensure the public’s safety. Beaches will remain open, except when work is actively being done on a particular stretch of beach, though some access points may close for a few minutes at a time while equipment passes by, officials have said.

The sheet piling infrastructure protection project will extend from Lyman Street in Mantoloking south to the southern end of coastal Brick.

The Federal Highway Administration will pay 80 percent of the project's $23.8 million cost.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here